Review - Fear Fest Evil 2019
Following their success at this year’s SCAR awards, FearFest Evil have returned with a new show, Condemned, and a number of key changes to the layout. The most noticeable element is that the show starts straight away with the incredibly intense House of Horrors. This is a very abrupt start to the experience and provides about 10 to 15 minutes of high grade and sustained terror. There really is no pre-amble or warm up as guests are thrown straight into the action.
The house as ever is beautifully themed, and the actors throughout are definitely some of the most aggressive we have experienced in any attraction. This is a strictly hands on affair, and the actors have no problem grabbing, pushing and shoving people in their quest to get scares. Like our visit last year, we just ended up bouncing back and forth between actors, whilst trying to navigate the tight and claustrophobic corridors. We are sure our screams could have been heard a mile away!
The problem is, when you start so strong – there really is no place else to go, and for this, the attraction as a whole suffers. With all the intense scares focused in the first 15 minutes, the remainder of the attraction seems tame in comparison and never recovers the thrill of the first section. In previous years the House has been saved til towards the end of the trail and we think this is a far better layout, allowing the fear and tension to build up.
This is not to say that the rest of the attraction is bad – it really isn’t. The walk through the woods is as creepy as ever, and we must praise the stilt monster for pursuing us across the rough terrain for so long. How he stayed upright we don’t know, but it was genuinely scary. The pitch-black tunnels/sewer system are also back, and are as terrifyingly dark and confusing as before.
One of the other noticeable things at FearFest Evil is the abundance of full-face latex masks in use. We aren’t usually fans of masks, but all the ones used here are totally realistic and added a creepy more surreal feel to the whole proceedings.
So, did we enjoy our experience in 2019? We genuinely did, but it just didn’t match up to our expectations after last year. All the individual elements of this year’s event are really well executed, and there is rarely a dull spot along the hour long route. We just honestly feel like they needed to be switched round, to provide a genuine build up to the big scares at the end.
The house as ever is beautifully themed, and the actors throughout are definitely some of the most aggressive we have experienced in any attraction. This is a strictly hands on affair, and the actors have no problem grabbing, pushing and shoving people in their quest to get scares. Like our visit last year, we just ended up bouncing back and forth between actors, whilst trying to navigate the tight and claustrophobic corridors. We are sure our screams could have been heard a mile away!
The problem is, when you start so strong – there really is no place else to go, and for this, the attraction as a whole suffers. With all the intense scares focused in the first 15 minutes, the remainder of the attraction seems tame in comparison and never recovers the thrill of the first section. In previous years the House has been saved til towards the end of the trail and we think this is a far better layout, allowing the fear and tension to build up.
This is not to say that the rest of the attraction is bad – it really isn’t. The walk through the woods is as creepy as ever, and we must praise the stilt monster for pursuing us across the rough terrain for so long. How he stayed upright we don’t know, but it was genuinely scary. The pitch-black tunnels/sewer system are also back, and are as terrifyingly dark and confusing as before.
One of the other noticeable things at FearFest Evil is the abundance of full-face latex masks in use. We aren’t usually fans of masks, but all the ones used here are totally realistic and added a creepy more surreal feel to the whole proceedings.
So, did we enjoy our experience in 2019? We genuinely did, but it just didn’t match up to our expectations after last year. All the individual elements of this year’s event are really well executed, and there is rarely a dull spot along the hour long route. We just honestly feel like they needed to be switched round, to provide a genuine build up to the big scares at the end.
Review - Fear Fest Evil 2018
You know that old expression - be careful what you wish for? Well that term could very easily sum up our whole experience at Fear Fest Evil. Our review last year praised the sets and layout, but we complained that the event was lacking in scares. This year we were very nearly close to complaining there were too many scares. We were literally terrorised through whole sections of the route, and our screams must have echoed for miles!
First up – the layout has changed this year, as the event starts at the top of the site and slowly winds its way back down the hillside. This meant that the tour starts with Tales of the Dark which is a great introduction to the night. We were met outside an impressive entrance façade by the first of the roaming actors - a hulking Scottish demon in a wedding dress! It was at this point that we realised that the usual rules of “no contact” were about to be broken, especially as our host cajoled us while we waited – stroking our hair, molesting us and generally setting the tone for what was about to follow.
Once inside the Claustrophia entrance, the grabbing continued and as we ventured outside and worked our way along the trail, we were taunted mercilessly by the extremely lively cast. The attraction itself is mostly a walk through an eerily lit woodland with several bizarre experiences along the way. Around us we could constantly hear twigs snapping as creatures stalked us in the darkness, with the fear of the unknown being just as terrifying as the characters we met along way. A clown that locked one of us in a cupboard with a puppet that kept coming to life, a stilted demon creature stalked us mercilessly alongside numerous other creatures to creepy to think about it. Although there is no real theme or logic to the random characters – we were completely on edge from beginning to end, as we tried to follow the path and get to safety. A genuinely great start to the event, but the team were only just starting with the scares - nothing could prepare us for what was to come next.
At the end of the pathway the trail leads into some very dark tunnels that due to recent surgery and knee problems we had to by-pass. We remember how long these tunnels were last year and know that there are actors inside, so sadly we missed a few scares. But the team weren’t going to let us escape and we were dutifully encouraged to enter House of Horrors.
The house itself hasn’t really changed since last year - the sets are as impressively detailed and it is a genuinely long attraction, as the rooms seem to go on for ever and ever. Which wouldn't be a problem if we were just walking through casually and looking around. But we weren't – we were actively being pursued from every direction but all manner of assailants. The scares and screams never stopped from beginning to end, and were some of the most sudden and intense we have experienced in years. No where was safe, and with the actors able to touch us, we had several moments of sheer panic with all our group genuinely screaming in fear. Now as you know, we are experienced scare fans and we found it terrifying – God help anyone who does this as their first taste of live scare events - it could scar them for life! So when we finally left the house we were breathless, sweaty and exhausted. We can categorically say this was the scariest thing we have done this Halloween so far!
After the chaos of the house, the final part of the show is Platform 13 – a long walk back down the hillside along an abandoned railway line. Compared to the genuine scares and frights of the first two parts, this really is a change of pace, and although the actors were fun and engaging, we didn’t leave the event with one big final scare. We understand that these scenes were designed to be some breathing space after the carnage of the other two attractions, but they kind of felt flat compared to what we had already experienced . We must stress – it’s not like these scenes are bad – they just aren’t as intense as the rest of the show.
So as we said at the start of the review, last year we asked for more scares at the event and clearly the team have listened to us and have ramped up the fear factor to 11. Yes, we felt the ending was weaker in comparison to what had come earlier, but we must congratulate the team on creating such a memorably terrifying experience. We will be back in 2019 for even more screams!
First up – the layout has changed this year, as the event starts at the top of the site and slowly winds its way back down the hillside. This meant that the tour starts with Tales of the Dark which is a great introduction to the night. We were met outside an impressive entrance façade by the first of the roaming actors - a hulking Scottish demon in a wedding dress! It was at this point that we realised that the usual rules of “no contact” were about to be broken, especially as our host cajoled us while we waited – stroking our hair, molesting us and generally setting the tone for what was about to follow.
Once inside the Claustrophia entrance, the grabbing continued and as we ventured outside and worked our way along the trail, we were taunted mercilessly by the extremely lively cast. The attraction itself is mostly a walk through an eerily lit woodland with several bizarre experiences along the way. Around us we could constantly hear twigs snapping as creatures stalked us in the darkness, with the fear of the unknown being just as terrifying as the characters we met along way. A clown that locked one of us in a cupboard with a puppet that kept coming to life, a stilted demon creature stalked us mercilessly alongside numerous other creatures to creepy to think about it. Although there is no real theme or logic to the random characters – we were completely on edge from beginning to end, as we tried to follow the path and get to safety. A genuinely great start to the event, but the team were only just starting with the scares - nothing could prepare us for what was to come next.
At the end of the pathway the trail leads into some very dark tunnels that due to recent surgery and knee problems we had to by-pass. We remember how long these tunnels were last year and know that there are actors inside, so sadly we missed a few scares. But the team weren’t going to let us escape and we were dutifully encouraged to enter House of Horrors.
The house itself hasn’t really changed since last year - the sets are as impressively detailed and it is a genuinely long attraction, as the rooms seem to go on for ever and ever. Which wouldn't be a problem if we were just walking through casually and looking around. But we weren't – we were actively being pursued from every direction but all manner of assailants. The scares and screams never stopped from beginning to end, and were some of the most sudden and intense we have experienced in years. No where was safe, and with the actors able to touch us, we had several moments of sheer panic with all our group genuinely screaming in fear. Now as you know, we are experienced scare fans and we found it terrifying – God help anyone who does this as their first taste of live scare events - it could scar them for life! So when we finally left the house we were breathless, sweaty and exhausted. We can categorically say this was the scariest thing we have done this Halloween so far!
After the chaos of the house, the final part of the show is Platform 13 – a long walk back down the hillside along an abandoned railway line. Compared to the genuine scares and frights of the first two parts, this really is a change of pace, and although the actors were fun and engaging, we didn’t leave the event with one big final scare. We understand that these scenes were designed to be some breathing space after the carnage of the other two attractions, but they kind of felt flat compared to what we had already experienced . We must stress – it’s not like these scenes are bad – they just aren’t as intense as the rest of the show.
So as we said at the start of the review, last year we asked for more scares at the event and clearly the team have listened to us and have ramped up the fear factor to 11. Yes, we felt the ending was weaker in comparison to what had come earlier, but we must congratulate the team on creating such a memorably terrifying experience. We will be back in 2019 for even more screams!
Review - Fear Fest Evil 2017
Fright Fest Evil is back at the NDAC in Chepstow after a 1-year break. When we last visited, we were impressed with the infrastructure and scares, and so were excited to visit on press night to find out what was new.
The first thing to mention is how sprawled out this event really is. Due to its incredible location along the side of a massive quarry, the site is huge - so be prepared to walk. Down at the lowest level, food and drinks are available as well as access to the 4G Swing and the Circus of Horrors. The main three mazes (also known as the Trilogy of Horrors) are located up the side of the quarry, with the zip wire providing an (optional pay extra) quick return to the starting point.
Platform 13 is the first attraction on the route and slightly confused us in its execution. Walking along a pitch-black abandoned railway line was a potential trip hazard from the start let alone when encountering some lively demon style creatures along the way. There were some great theming elements attached to the tress and some interesting characterisations but most of these were quite hard to discern in the darkness. All in – Platform 13 felt more like a scare zone than an attraction in its own right, but nicely led us to the highlight of the night – The House of Horrors
The House of the Horrors was easily one of the most impressively designed and themed scare attractions we have ever experienced – the attention to detail in all the rooms was stunning with everything from the floors, ceilings and walls being intricately themed. Based inside an abandoned church – the maze seemed endless, with room after room to explore. There were several points where the path split and we had to make a choice and we loved the walk through coffins that preceded two corridors lined with quilted silk as if we were actually inside a coffin! Our one grumble? Not enough actors on our visit – we understand from the management that this is now rectified, but those that were in the maze were more theatrical and speech based, instead of giving us good impact scares.
The final attraction called Tales of the Dark was a mixture of different experiences – it started with an intense dark strobe maze in a container, which led to a very long walk through some very dark woodland. The route was so dark in places that we had to use our phone torches at times just so as to not wader off the part or trip over a tree stump! On the way, we experienced some surreal scenes and set pieces. The hinged doors attached to the forest trees were unnerving and creepy (especially when there was something hiding behind them) and IF there is a national shortage of foil for your turkey this Christmas – blame Fear Fest! The woodland glade with EVERY thing wrapped in shiny foil looked incredible and must have taken ages to do! The whole experience ended with some very long crawl through tunnels which were dark and eerie but not great if you have bad knees – this was not just a low ceiling where we had to duck ,but a full on drainage pipe with no apparent ending!
Back down at the main event area, a large circus Tent hosts live entertainment from the Circus of Horrors. Despite some gruesome and impressive acts, the show has such flair and vigour that makes it so much fun. The show will run each night of the event providing a “highlights package”, and is available for those who do not want to experience the Trilogy of Horrors.
Finally, we must also just mention the two rides that are available as an upgrade to your experience. The zip wire sends guests careening into the darkness suspended high above the inky blackness of the quarry below, and the 4g swing sends guest on a heart in mouth plunge over the edge of the quarry wall! Both are great adrenaline rushes!
As we mentioned earlier in the review – we did feel that the scares were a bit on the sparse side but the management team have stated they have added more for the main run. The focus will be on more impact scares and frights. They have also advised us that they have added extra lighting and signage around the park.
So if you are looking for something quite different to the the standard scream park experience and are in Wales looking for a fun night out – then check out Fear Fest Evil.
The first thing to mention is how sprawled out this event really is. Due to its incredible location along the side of a massive quarry, the site is huge - so be prepared to walk. Down at the lowest level, food and drinks are available as well as access to the 4G Swing and the Circus of Horrors. The main three mazes (also known as the Trilogy of Horrors) are located up the side of the quarry, with the zip wire providing an (optional pay extra) quick return to the starting point.
Platform 13 is the first attraction on the route and slightly confused us in its execution. Walking along a pitch-black abandoned railway line was a potential trip hazard from the start let alone when encountering some lively demon style creatures along the way. There were some great theming elements attached to the tress and some interesting characterisations but most of these were quite hard to discern in the darkness. All in – Platform 13 felt more like a scare zone than an attraction in its own right, but nicely led us to the highlight of the night – The House of Horrors
The House of the Horrors was easily one of the most impressively designed and themed scare attractions we have ever experienced – the attention to detail in all the rooms was stunning with everything from the floors, ceilings and walls being intricately themed. Based inside an abandoned church – the maze seemed endless, with room after room to explore. There were several points where the path split and we had to make a choice and we loved the walk through coffins that preceded two corridors lined with quilted silk as if we were actually inside a coffin! Our one grumble? Not enough actors on our visit – we understand from the management that this is now rectified, but those that were in the maze were more theatrical and speech based, instead of giving us good impact scares.
The final attraction called Tales of the Dark was a mixture of different experiences – it started with an intense dark strobe maze in a container, which led to a very long walk through some very dark woodland. The route was so dark in places that we had to use our phone torches at times just so as to not wader off the part or trip over a tree stump! On the way, we experienced some surreal scenes and set pieces. The hinged doors attached to the forest trees were unnerving and creepy (especially when there was something hiding behind them) and IF there is a national shortage of foil for your turkey this Christmas – blame Fear Fest! The woodland glade with EVERY thing wrapped in shiny foil looked incredible and must have taken ages to do! The whole experience ended with some very long crawl through tunnels which were dark and eerie but not great if you have bad knees – this was not just a low ceiling where we had to duck ,but a full on drainage pipe with no apparent ending!
Back down at the main event area, a large circus Tent hosts live entertainment from the Circus of Horrors. Despite some gruesome and impressive acts, the show has such flair and vigour that makes it so much fun. The show will run each night of the event providing a “highlights package”, and is available for those who do not want to experience the Trilogy of Horrors.
Finally, we must also just mention the two rides that are available as an upgrade to your experience. The zip wire sends guests careening into the darkness suspended high above the inky blackness of the quarry below, and the 4g swing sends guest on a heart in mouth plunge over the edge of the quarry wall! Both are great adrenaline rushes!
As we mentioned earlier in the review – we did feel that the scares were a bit on the sparse side but the management team have stated they have added more for the main run. The focus will be on more impact scares and frights. They have also advised us that they have added extra lighting and signage around the park.
So if you are looking for something quite different to the the standard scream park experience and are in Wales looking for a fun night out – then check out Fear Fest Evil.
Review - Fear Fest 2015
Fear Fest is brand new event at the National Diving and Activity Centre (NDAC) on the Wales/Gloucestershire border. The venue is home to a whole range of thrilling activities including scuba diving, one of the Uk's longest zipwires (more on that later),a drive in cinema and more, but this is the first time they have tried a full on scare event.
Upon arrival, it was clear that a lot of effort has been made to create a professional event. The main marquee was suitably decorated and an array of food and drink is available both before and after each tour. We just had time to have a drink to settle our nerves before we were called forward by our guide.
In a group of about 15 people, we were then lead along the deserted railway and up towards the highest point of the quarry site. We were allowed just two little torches - one at the front and one at the rear of the group. Partly to light the way and avoid any obvious trip hazards but at times they were useful to be able to highlight the sets and characters around us.
Following a fireside presentation, that set the story of the drowned girl and the 4 ghostly linesmen, we were ushered through some gates to be immediately attacked by our first monsters. As an opening scene, this was actually genuinely terrifying with the crawling zombies splitting the group up at times and snarling and grabbing at us as we tried to step around them. From there on, the tour continued down the railway line with all sorts of scares and creatures stalking us. Being at the back holding the torch we could often here, footsteps behind us and when we turned the torch around there would be creatures glaring back at us.
Very soon, the trainlines were blocked, and our only option was to pass through a long underground tunnel. We had to stoop to get through but this was nothing compared to what we would do later! When we emerged from the tunnel we were greeted by a really impressive scene that was the start of a whole indoor section that we hadn't been expecting. The move from outdoor to indoor attraction was seamless and in these rooms, there was a clear attention to detail in the theming.
The whole experience lasted well over an hour and involved a number of different scares, sets and tactics. The tunnels and crawl spaces seemed to get narrower and tighter, and the final "cave" was one of the most oppressive things we have ever crawled through. Once out of the tunnel, we were loaded into a bloodied minibus and as we were driven back to the main site, we were expecting one big final scare. Unfortunately, apart from the erratic driving, the journey home was uneventful.
We spoke to the design team afterwards, and they took on board our advice on how the finale could have been improved. We had experienced so many jumps and scares along the route, that we are confident that the team will put in something amazing for that final pay off. It was actually our only criticism of the whole event as the whole hour or so beforehand was incredible.
Of course - you dont have to take the mini- bus back down to the start - the other option is the zip wire - a 40mph ascent across the quarry in the pitch dark. It was fast, it was dark, it was exhilarating! We would definitely recommend you book a ticket including the zipwire.
From beginning to end, the whole attraction was very impressive and it was hard to believe this is their first ever scare event. The actors were really getting into their roles throughout, the scares came thick and fast and the sets were highly impressive and detailed. Talking to the team afterwards - they have big plans to grow this event in the future and we cant wait to see what they come up with next.
Upon arrival, it was clear that a lot of effort has been made to create a professional event. The main marquee was suitably decorated and an array of food and drink is available both before and after each tour. We just had time to have a drink to settle our nerves before we were called forward by our guide.
In a group of about 15 people, we were then lead along the deserted railway and up towards the highest point of the quarry site. We were allowed just two little torches - one at the front and one at the rear of the group. Partly to light the way and avoid any obvious trip hazards but at times they were useful to be able to highlight the sets and characters around us.
Following a fireside presentation, that set the story of the drowned girl and the 4 ghostly linesmen, we were ushered through some gates to be immediately attacked by our first monsters. As an opening scene, this was actually genuinely terrifying with the crawling zombies splitting the group up at times and snarling and grabbing at us as we tried to step around them. From there on, the tour continued down the railway line with all sorts of scares and creatures stalking us. Being at the back holding the torch we could often here, footsteps behind us and when we turned the torch around there would be creatures glaring back at us.
Very soon, the trainlines were blocked, and our only option was to pass through a long underground tunnel. We had to stoop to get through but this was nothing compared to what we would do later! When we emerged from the tunnel we were greeted by a really impressive scene that was the start of a whole indoor section that we hadn't been expecting. The move from outdoor to indoor attraction was seamless and in these rooms, there was a clear attention to detail in the theming.
The whole experience lasted well over an hour and involved a number of different scares, sets and tactics. The tunnels and crawl spaces seemed to get narrower and tighter, and the final "cave" was one of the most oppressive things we have ever crawled through. Once out of the tunnel, we were loaded into a bloodied minibus and as we were driven back to the main site, we were expecting one big final scare. Unfortunately, apart from the erratic driving, the journey home was uneventful.
We spoke to the design team afterwards, and they took on board our advice on how the finale could have been improved. We had experienced so many jumps and scares along the route, that we are confident that the team will put in something amazing for that final pay off. It was actually our only criticism of the whole event as the whole hour or so beforehand was incredible.
Of course - you dont have to take the mini- bus back down to the start - the other option is the zip wire - a 40mph ascent across the quarry in the pitch dark. It was fast, it was dark, it was exhilarating! We would definitely recommend you book a ticket including the zipwire.
From beginning to end, the whole attraction was very impressive and it was hard to believe this is their first ever scare event. The actors were really getting into their roles throughout, the scares came thick and fast and the sets were highly impressive and detailed. Talking to the team afterwards - they have big plans to grow this event in the future and we cant wait to see what they come up with next.
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